An Inevitable Encounter
by mcarnality
Summary: After subduing the Uprising in Republic City, Korra takes Mako to the Southern Water Tribe to meet her parents for the first time.


"Are you sure you don't need a coat?," Korra asked. She could feel Mako shivering behind her as she led Naga off the boat at the dock near the entrance to the Southern Water Tribe.

Even though his body felt as cold as ice, Mako knew in his mind that the slight convulsions had nothing to do with the temperature, but all to do with the nerves that threatened to unsettle his stomach.

He didn't respond, trying instead to stop hyperventilating.

"We're almost there anyway. You can get something warmer to wear when we get to my home," Korra said reassuringly over the sound of chattering teeth.

Mako could no longer feel his face at this point, and wondered if the shock of apprehension showed plainly on his frozen features. He did not want Korra to know how scared he was to meet her parents. She would never let him live it down.

He had been dreading this encounter for weeks, knowing the entire time he would rather risk his life fighting the Equalists than meeting Korra's parents.

Korra laughed as a new thought suddenly came to her. "Why don't you actually _use_ that scarf, instead of wearing it as a fashion statement?," she teased. With that suggestion, Mako grabbed the red, woven article that hung across his shoulders and chest, and wrapped it around his face. His eyes, though, remained uncovered, and anyone who looked into the smoldering gold could plainly read the panic that threatened to unhinge his "cool under fire" self control.

Naga strolled up to the entrance of the Southern Water Tribe while fresh snow began to fall. From his watch tower, the White Lotus Sentry peered down to the see the Avatar waiting, and slowly began to open the Lion Turtle Gates that surrounded the village.

Night came earlier in the South Pole as winter drew near. Mako had tried to convince Korra to delay the visit to see her parents until spring or maybe even summer, but she was adamant about making the trip as soon as Amon and the Equalists had been defeated. Korra missed her mother and father so much and wanted to be with them again after the months away in Republic City.

Lost in thought, the conversation between them flooded into Mako's mind…

"I'm more intimidating than my father," Korra had stated confidently one evening after Pro-bending practice. "If you can handle me, you will have no problem making him like you."

Mako rolled his eyes at her. "You don't understand. I have one chance to make a good first impression."

At that Korra had to laugh. "You didn't make such a good impression when Bolin first introduced us before that match, remember? I recall you being somewhat of a jerk to me, yet I still found a way to love you."

"That's a different situation. I'm not afraid of gi—-." The threatening look on Korra's face had Mako back-tracking quickly. "What I meant to say was you did not mean anything to me at the time, not like you do now. You were just another fangirl that my brother dragged in to distract my team before a competition. This meeting with your parents, though, is important to me because I care about you. I want them to accept me, and if I screw this up, it could determine everything between us."

The tension in Korra's body relaxed, and she walked toward Mako, wrapping her arms around him. She did not know how to be comforting, what to do or what to say, so she just laid her head on his chest and looked up into his face with the the signature pout playing on her lips.

"Please, Mako," Korra whispered. Her voice conveyed a different tone than he was used to, less…demanding somehow.

He looked down into the crystal blue of her eyes, and lost the ability to refuse. Mako let out a sigh as he gave in. "Fine. We will visit your parents."

And with that promise, Korra had grabbed his face roughly with excitement, pulling him into a passionate kiss so full of happiness that Mako had no chance to go back on his word.

"We're here." Korra's voice brought him back to the present. Mako had almost forgotten where he was when his eyes caught sight of an igloo in the distance well lit against the darkness. "You've said nothing since we left Republic City. Are you sure you're okay?"

The words caught in his throat. "Just a little nervous." Mako's voice broke near the end, and he coughed in a futile attempt to hide it.

Hearing the sound of paws in the snow, Korra's parents emerged from the wooden door to the igloo, looking kind and welcoming as they waited.

Korra jumped off Naga's back and ran towards her mother and father, finally embracing them for the first time since she had escaped to complete her Avatar training on Air Temple Island.

Mako, however, stayed frozen where he sat. Korra's parents looked exactly as she had describe them, gentle and not at all intimidating, yet he still could not find the strength to move.

A few minutes had passed, and Korra had all but forgotten of Mako's presence, when Naga glanced back at him, howling softly in such a way that told him it was time to get off.

With legs unresponsive, Mako dragged himself to meet the piles of white. He walked slowly and stiffly towards the little family reunion, feeling as though he was intruding on a private moment.

In the middle of telling the story about the Fire Ferret win in the Pro-bending Tournament, Korra turned around to see Mako making his way through the snow. "Mom. Dad. There is someone I want you to meet."

As Mako came near, Korra grabbed his hand impatiently and pulled him the rest of the way. "This is Mako, the Captain and Firebender for the Fire Ferrets. He and his brother Bolin helped me subdue the Uprising in Republic City. We're…friends…"

Mako looked at Korra questioningly from the corner of his eye, curious as to why she had lowered him to the status of "friend", when they were clearly more than that. He was not going to object, though. Her parents did not need to know the details of his relationship with their daughter just yet nor did he think he was ready to tell them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mako," Tonraq said as he extended his hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Sir," Mako responded, returning the greeting. He wondered if Korra's father could feel his arm twitching as they shook hands, or at least hear the ragged pounding of his heart in his chest.

"Please, call me Tonraq, and this is my wife Senna." Tonraq gestered to the woman by his side.

Senna came forward to hug Mako. "Thank you for keeping Korra safe. I am grateful she was able to find such good…friends," she added with a sly and knowing smile.

Mako stumbled over his words. "I was more than happy to help the Avatar."

Senna released him and walked back towards her daughter. "He's handsome, Korra. Are you sure _the Equalists_ were the ones preventing you from leaving Republic City or was it this boy?" Korra's mother made no attempt to lower her voice as she strolled back into the igloo.

Korra pulled her dangling hair across her face, trying to hide the blush that painted her cheeks a bright crimson.

"We'll meet you inside, Dad. Mako and I need to put Naga away for the night. She hugged her father who disappeared quickly, and turned suddenly to Mako with the blush still plain on her features. They did not talk again until they reached the igloo where Naga usually slept.

"That was fun," Mako said with a small smile as he and Korra removed the saddle from the polar bear dog's back.

"Maybe for you. My mother is intentionally trying to embarrass me," Korra retorted, avoiding Mako's eyes. "I am not sure if my father understands us, but _she_ certainly does."

"I can only imagine the conversation your parents are having about me right now. Do you think I should have stayed at your home to allow them time to get to know me better?" Mako asked.

Korra placed Naga's riding equipment in its usual place before turning towards him. "I know exactly what they are saying about us," she said as she slowly wrapped her hands around his neck, refusing to let the circumstances deflect her from taking advantage of their moment of privacy. Initially uncertain of whether he should so much as touch Korra while near the vicinity of her parents, Mako quickly lost all his inhibitions.

Back in the igloo, Senna was sweeping the floor, while Tonraq sat at the table with a pondering expression on his face. "What do you think is taking them so long?," he asked, breaking the silence.

"You know Korra. She is probably kissing—-Tonraq's eyes widened at the words—Naga goodnight," Senna continued playfully. She turned to husband, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind. "I could see the way Korra looked at Mako when she introduced him. They mean a lot to each other, and I am happy for them both."

"As am I." Tonraq peered up at his wife with a look of acceptance and happiness at the thought.

"We're back," Korra announced as she and Mako entered the igloo for the first time since arriving in the South Pole.

Although no longer nervous, Mako began to shake with the recognition of how cold he actually was. The igloo might provide protection from the wind, but the temperature was only a few degrees warmer than outside.

Tonraq and Senna walked into the room with an air of excitement and a box behind their backs.

"We would be happy if you accepted this as a symbol of our gratitude," said Korra's mother, as her husband handed Mako a package.

Inside, Mako found an authentic Water Tribe coat, similar in style to that worn by Tonraq with navy blue fabric, white fur, and the emblem of the Waterbender embroidered in the middle.

Mako thanked them whole-heartedly, before turning to Korra, who just stood grinning at her parents. Though they had never said the nature of their relationship in words, Korra and Mako knew that Tonraq and Senna had understood, and the coat stood not as a representation of their thanks but of their acceptance.


End file.
